Hazmat scare in Downtown Jersey City

Responding to a hazardous materials scare, Jersey City firefighters, some in yellow protective suits, descended upon a 9-story building at Warren and Morgan streets in Downtown Jersey City yesterday.

Public safety personnel at the scene told a news photographer that drums inside the building, known as the Morgan Industrial Center, were possibly leaking sulfuric acid, but city officials did not return phone calls to comment on that claim.

Surrounded by apartment and office high-rise buildings, the former industrial building at 350 Warren St. is being converted into a complex with more than 360 luxury apartments.

A 33-year-old man who lives in the area said the project has been controversial and residents consider the site a “pollution nightmare.”

“Living in this area, it’s really disconcerting that you can see them going through, with heavy machinery, ripping it all apart,” said the resident. The project is “good for the area from a financial perspective, but ... hopefully they are taking care of it from an environmental perspective.”